aibel



March 24, 1959 F. L. AIBEL 'KNITTED FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14, 1956 mvENToR BY FREDRIC L. AIBEL. @MM

ATTORNEY.

March 24,4959 F. L. AIBEL KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 14, 195e 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FREDRIC L. AIBEL. BY @if ATTORNEY.

nited States Patent KNITTED FABRIC This invention relates to knitted fabrics-more particularly to a type of warp-knit jersey fabric.

It is one of the primary objects of my invention to provide a fabric of the above category that can be inexpensively produced on a warp type of knitting machine, and which will have the physical appearance of conventional jersey knit fabrics, but with a relatively large fabric area per pound of yarn used in its production. There have been attempts to accomplish this objective by knitting conventional jersey fabrics with comparatively slack and loosely formed stitch arrangements. While such conventional expedients have succeeded in producing more yardage per pound of yarn, the resulting fabrics did not have the desired durability, and were generally lacking in the dimensional stability required for readily salable goods. It is accordingly my objective to proner. The two bars, threaded full, shog in a different direction after each course, and the two bars shogging in opposite directions with respect to each other. One bar knits at any course-the back bar laying in when the front bar knits, and the front bar floating when the back bar knits.

The fabric resulting from such deployment of threads around the knitting needles is characterized by al series of longitudinal single loops, adjacent rows being con-y nected by diagonal laps. These laps, arising from bars shogging in opposite directions, are in crossing relation, each lap joining substantially the bottom of one elongated stitch to the top of the adjacent elongated stitch in an adjacent Wale. The knitting process is analogous to that described in my Patent No. 2,667,775, issued February 2, 1954, to the extent that the contraction of the small stitches continues to the point of coalescence, to produce a tightly knit structure. Accordingly, in the production of the fabric of the present invention, the conditions exist to produce such a tightening of the contracted stitches as to create they appearance only of longitudinal rows of connected single stitches, the stitches duce a relatively lightweight knitted fabric having none of thread sections extending diagonally between adjacent wales. The contracted stitches are in effect closed or coalesced stitches forming junctures between adjacent elongated stitches in the same wale. If magnified, the appearance would be that of a fabric with a plurality of spaced parallel rows of stitches interconnected by a plurality of diagonal single-thread laps. The general impression of the actual fabric is that of a jersey knit fabric, having the qualities of yieldability -characteristic of Such material, but lighter in weight per unit of area.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is an enlarged diagrammatic View of one form of fabric according to my invention, showing `the of each Wale being connected to stitches in the adjacent wale by diagonally crossed laps. It is important to note that vwhen elongated and contracted stitches are made by knitting a single bar, the back bar must be inlaid in one wale, and then, Aas aforesaid, shogged in a direction opposite to the shogging motion 'of the front bar when it is once more inlaid.

In both embodiments -of my invention illustrated, the fabric includes a number of vertical rows or wales of knitted stitches, as well as unknitted sections. As in the case of my said prior patent, all unknitted portions of the thread, including oats and laid-in sections, will for convenience be designated unknitted iloats, regardless of Whether they are technically lloats or laid-in sections. f

In the fabric diagrammatically shown in Fig. l, the horizontal courses are identified by the reference letters S, T, U, V, W, X and Y; and the vertical rows or wales Iare identified by the reference numerals I, II, III, IV and V, it being understood that a multiplicity of simil-ar wales and courses are formed during the knitting process to make the completed fabric. In accordance with the concept of my invention, a plurality of warp threads are employed to form the fabric, such as those identified in Fig. l by the reference letters A1, B1, A2, B2, A3, B3, A4, B4, A5 and B5. These threads are formed, by the knitting process above described, into longitudinal chains of contracted and elongated stitches such as those disposed Within the wales I, Il, III, IV and V, certain of formation of the chains of elongated and contracted stitches joined by diagonal thread sections between adjacent wales, the contracted stitches being, for the purpose of clarity, shown in slightly opened condition.

Figure 2 is a plan view in semi-diagrammatic form of a portion of the completed fabric of the structure shown in Fig. l, this view being reduced from Fig. 1 but being larger than actual size.

,Figure 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic view, substantally like Fig. l, but showing another form of fabric are capable of wrapping around the needle, so as to'perform a knitting or stitching function in conventional man; x

. appear.

the threads having portions thereof extending through contracted stitches as unknitted floats, certain other portions extending diagonally between adjacent wales and in crossing relationship, as will more clearly hereinafter In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. l, pairs of threads are employed, one of the threads of each pair being designated by the letter A, and the other by the letter B, with subnumerals indicating the wale in which they are shown to originate. For example, the pair of threads A1 and B1 are shown in the lower portion of wale I, the pair of threads A1 and B1, are shown in the lower portion of wale II, etc. The A threads are front-bar threads, and the B threads, rear-bar threads. In Wale I there are a plurality of elongated stitches 11, 13 and 15, and alternately positioned contracted stitches 10, 12 and 14. Similarly there are correspondingly positioned elongated stitches 17, 19 and 21 and contracted 1 stitches 16,' 18 and 20 in wale II; elongated stitches 23,1

25, 27 and contracted stitches 22, 24 and 2'6uin wale III;

elongated stitches 29, 31, 33 and contracted stitches 28, 30 and 32 in Wale IV; elongated stitches 35, 37, 39 and contracted stitches 34, 36 and 38 in Wale V. It will further he Aobserved that, Ain the fabric illustrated, the lowermost PDfllQnSf the threads from which the stitches are formed are in course Sg course T containing the contracted stitches 10, 1 6, 2 2, 28 and 34; course U containing the elongated stitches 1 1, 17, 23, 29 and 35.; c ourse V containing the contracted stitches 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36; course W containing the elongated stitches 13, 19, 25, 31 and 37 course X containing the contracted stitches 14, 20, 26, 32 and 38; and course Y containing the elongated stitches 15 2 1, 27, 3 3 and 39.

All the pairs of A, B threads are similarly arranged in the knitting process, and their respective positions can -be determined by following through each o f these threads within the fabric of Fig. 1. 'For illustrative purposes we will follow ythreads A2 and B2. Thread A2, extending upwardly from course S, first forms the contracted stitch 16 in Wale II, and then extends diagonally upwardly to form contracted stitch 12 in the adjacent Wale I, Whereafter it extends upwardly diagonally back toward Wale II to form the contracted stitch 20 therein, this formation continuing between wales I and II. The thread section extending diagonally upwardly from stitch 16 yconstitutes the lap designated 16a; and the thread section extending diagonally upwardly from contracted stitch 12 constitutes the lap designated 12a.

Following the path of thread B2, it extends upwardly from the lowermost course S .through contracted stitch 16 to form the elongated stitch 17 in Wale II, whereafter it extends diagonally upwardly toward Wale III, .being inlaid in contracted stitch 24 and extending upwardly therefrom to form the elongated stitch 2S in Wale I II, whereafter it extends diagonally upwardly, as lap 25a, back to wall 1I, to be inlaid through `contracted stitch 2Q, and upwardly therefrom to form the elongated stitch 2 1. All the other pairs of A and B threads, as aforesaid, follow similar paths in the knitting operation, to form the elongated and contracted stitches, and the unknitted oats, in similar manner. Thus, there are diagonal crossing thread sections 16a, 11a and 12a, 19a between wales I and II; diagonal crossing thread sections 22a, 17a and 18a, 25a between Wales II and III; diagonal crossing thread sections 28a, 23a and 24a, 31a between Wales III and IV; and diagonal crossing 4thread sections 34a, 29a and 30a, 37a vbetween wales IV and lV. The fabric also shows the above-mentioned unknitted floats, examples of which are the following: in course V, 11b extending through ,contracted stitch '13; I17h extending through contractedstitch 24; 23h extending through contracted stitch 30; 2911 extending ythrough contracted stitch 36; in course X, 25`b extending through contracted stitch 20; 311; extending through contracted stitch 26; 37b extending through contracted stitch 32.

:During the knitting operation there results a coalescence of the contracted stitches, and an elongation of the other stitches designated elongated stitches,.i n the manner described in my said prior Patent No. 2,667,775. Accordingly, the contracted stitches are drawn together to what appears to the eye to be juncture points between adjacent elongated stitches. This is shown in the fabric diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2, this showing the contracted and elongated stitches after the completion of the knitting operation, with the operative tightening or coalescence of the vcontracted stitches. The said contracted stitches 30 and 32 are drawn tightly to constitute respective juncture points between the adjacent elongated stitches 29, 31,and 33. Similarly, the contracted stitches 24 and 26 form respectivev juncture points between the adjacent elongated stitches 2 3, 25 and 27; and the contracted stitches 18and 20 form juncture points between the respective adjacent elongated stitches 17, 19 and 2 1. The stitches29, 31 and 33 cons titutepart of a chain in one Wale; and the stitches 17, 19 and 2 1 constitute part of a chain in thenext adjacent wale. Connecting the respective top and lbottom portions of adjacent elongated stitches within a course are thread sections in crossing relation. For example, the diagonal thread sections 23a and 28a are in crossing relation, thread section 23a extending diagonally downwardly from the top of elongated stitch 29 to the bottom of elongated stitch 23; and thread section 28a extending diagonally upwardly from the -bottom of stitch 28 to the top of stitch 23.

The resultant structure has the appearance of conventional jersey fabric; but since the longitudinal chains of stitches are made of single threads, and connected by diagonal single thread sections, the fabric is of consider ably `lighter weight than conventional jersey `fabric of the same yardage. Moreover, since the contracted stitches are drawn tightly into the juncture points illustrated, the entire fabric is tightly knit, and hence of the required rmness and stability which is not to -be found in loosely knit jersey fabric.

Fig. 3 illustratesanother embodiment of my invention. Here the -fabric is formed yby a plurality of threads design ated C6, D6, C7, D7, C8, D8, C9 and D9, vthe subnumerals designating Ythe vrespective wales in the lower portions .of .which said threads are shown disposed, .to Wit, the respective wales VI, VII, VIII, IX and X. Here, as in the form of my invention first above-described, each `Wale rconsists of alternate elongated and contracted stitches, there being thread sections in crossing relation extending diagonally between the top and bottom portions of adjacent elongated stitches in adjacent wales, certain 4of Said threads being inlaid in the contracted stitches.

Specically, the contracted stitches in course G are 40, 42, 4 3, 54 and 60; in course I: 44, 50, 56 and .62; in

course K: 1.4.6, 52 .and 58. The elongated stitches are, in .course Hz 41, 43, 49, 55 and 61; in course J: 45, 51, 57 and 63; in course L: 47, 53 and 59. The crossing diagonal ,thread sections are the following: between wales VIand VII, 7b, 41a; 'between wales VII `and VIII, 8b, 43a and Sd, 51a; between wales VIII and IX, 9b, 49a and 9d, 57a. The unkni'tted oats are as follows: in Wale VII, floats 7a and 8c in the region of respective contracted ,stitches 42 and 44; in wale VIII, 8a, 9c and 8e ,in the region of respective contracted ,stitches 48, 50 and -52; in wale IX, l9a and 9e in the region rof respective contracted stitches 54 and 58. It will be observed that in Fig. 3 certain of the fabric components are omitted, since it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate them for each Wale, inasmuch as those that are illustrated are sufficient for the purpose of this specification.

The paths of thread C3 and thread D8 will bedescribed, asillustrative of the paths of other corresponding threads extending upwardly from course F. Thread C5 is inlaid in contracted stitch 48, and extends diagonally upwardly to the region -of the top of elongated stitch 43, whereafter it is inlaid in contracted stitch 44, extending diagonally upwardly to and inlaid in contracted stitch 52, whereafter it extends therefrom upwardly and diagonally, as illustrated, back toward Wale VII.

Thread D8 is knitted into stitch 48, and then into stitch 49, whereafter ,the lap 49a extends diagonally upwardly toward Wale IX to form contracted stitch 56 and the elongated stitch 57 thereabove, the lap 57a rof `said thread extending diagonally upwardly from the bottom of stitch 57 to form the contracted stitch 52 in `Wale VIII and the elongated stitch ,53 thereabove, The laps 47b, 53a and 59a, extending diagonally upwardly from the bottoms of the respective stitches 47, 53 and 59, continue along ltheir respective paths in the manner described with reference to lap 49a `extending diagonally upwardly from stitch 49.

During the operation of the machine producing this fabric, due to the take-up action `and the uniform .tension produced thereby, there is a coalescence of the contracted stitches and an elongation of those that are designated elongated 4stitches, in the manner aforesaid, to produce a tightly knit fabric having the general appearance of that shown in Fig. 2.

In this form of the invention, as well as in the form first above described, the fabric has yieldability comparable to that of conventional jersey fabric, yet is less dense, and has the required tightness of stitching to meet the requirements of dimensional stability.

In forming the fabric of Fig. 1, the following formula is employed:

In forming the fabric of Fig. 3, the following formula is employed:

II O O, 2 2, 4 4, 2 2

When these formulas are employed by one skilled in the art, the fabrics produced will be like those hereinabove illustrated.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by way o-f example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or manner of practicing same, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of warp threads formed into a plurality of wales and courses, said wales comprising chains of contracted and elongated single stitches, certain of said threads having unknitted portions inlaid in said contracted stitches, and diagonal thread sections extending between adjacent wales.

2. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of warp threads formed into a plurality of Wales and courses, said wales comprising chains of alternate contracted and elongated single stitches, certain of said threads having unknitted portions inlaid in said contracted stitches, and a plurality of pairs of single thread sections extending between adjacent wales, the threads of each of said pairs being in crossing relation.

3. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of warp threads formed into a plurality of wales and courses, said wales comprising chains of contracted and elongated single stitches, certain of said threads having unknitted portions inlaid in said contracted stitches and extending diagonally between adjacent wales.

4. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of warp threads formed into a plurality of wales and courses, said wales comprising chains of contracted and elongated single stitches, said contracted and said elongated stitches being, respectively, in alternate parallel courses, the loop portions of adjacent contracted and elongated stitches in each of said chains being interengaged whereby said interengaged loop portions of said contracted stitches from juncture points between the elongated stitches flanking the respective contracted stitches, and diagonal thread sections extending between adjacent wales and interengaged with oppositely positioned ones of said juncture points at adjacent wales and adjacent courses.

5. In a knitted fabric, the combination according to claim 4, each course having two of said diagonal thread sections in crossing relation between adjacent wales.

6. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of warp threads formed into a plurality of wales and courses, said wales comprising chains of contracted and elongated single stitches, and diagonal thread sections extending between adjacent wales.

7. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of warp threads formed into a plurality of wales and courses, said Wales comprising chains of contracted and elongated single stitches, certain of said threads forming interengaged loop portions of contracted and elongated stitches in wales at different courses, and forming diagonal laps between adjacent wales, the others of said threads having portions extending diagonally between adjacent wales and being in crossing relation to said laps disposed between corresponding wales and courses, said other threads having unknitted portions inlaid in said contracted stitches.

8. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of warp threads formed into a plurality of wales and courses, said wales comprising chains of contracted and elongated single stitches, certain of said threads forming interengaged loop portions of pairs of contracted and elongated stitches, said pairs being in adjacent wales at different courses, said last-mentioned threads forming diagonal laps between the junctures of the two stitches of said pairs in adjacent wales, the others of said threads having portions extending diagonally between adjacent wales and being in crossing relation to said laps disposed between corresponding wales and courses, said other threads having unknitted portions inlaid in said contracted stitches.

9. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of pairs of warp threads formed into a plurality of wales and courses, one thread of each of said pairs forming elongated stitches in adjacent Wales and in different courses, the other thread of each of said pairs forming contracted stitches in adjacent wales and in different courses, said elongated and contracted stitches in each wale having loop portions that are alternately interengaged, thread portions from both threads of each pair extending between adjacent wales.

10. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of pairs of warp threads formed into a plurality of wales and courses, said wales comprising chains of contracted and elongated single stitches, one thread of each of said pairs forming elongated stitches in alternate courses in adjacent chains, the other thread of each of said pairs forming contracted stitches in alternate courses in the adjacent chain, said elongated and contracted stitches in each Wale being alternately interengaged.

11. In a knitted fabric, the combination according to claim 10, all of said contracted stitches having inlaid therein unknitted thread sections from said threads forming elongated stitches.

12. In a knitted fabric, a plurality of pairs of warp threads formed into a plurality of wales and courses, said wales comprising chains of contracted and elongated single stitches, each of said pairs forming the stitches of a set of three adjacent chains, one thread of each of said pairs forming elongated stitches in the central and in one lateral chain of one of said sets, the other thread forming contracted stitches in the said central and the other lateral chain of said set, the contracted stitches in each chain having inlaid therein unknitted thread sections from the threads forming the elongated stitches in the adjacent chain.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,187,158 McGinley June 13, 1916 2,403,793 Feinstein July 9, 1946 2,667,775 Aibel Feb. 2, 1954 

